An Even Brighter Sunshine
by Gaeshi
Summary: In a world where Ryohei died in the struggle against the Funeral Wreathes, Kyoko finds herself compelled to take up the mantle of being the Vongola Sun Guardian.  At the same time, an ancient foe once again threatens the Vongola from within.  9527
1. Indecision

**Forest Near Namimori—10 Years in the Future**

Death was the one thing about life that Sasagawa Kyoko could never understand. After all, it was not something she personally experienced, nor something that she had seen—to her, the concept of losing one's life might be dreadful, but it lacked any concreteness, lacked any proof to back up this abstract reputation.

The fact that her brother is one of the most _alive _and extreme person there is doesn't help her get over this misconception. Actually, if one considers it more, perhaps her brother contributed to her lovely innocence more than anyone else. Between his upbeat personality, booming voice, and seemingly inexhaustible energy, Ryohei Sasagawa was the picture of infallibility.

Of course, there were times when he had worried her, but he always pulled through. Time and time again, this only served to reinforce the confidence in Kyoko's mind.

Until that day.

* * *

><p>Even in death, Ryohei Sasagawa appeared so active, so content, and so alive. From the sheen of sweat over his skin to the surprisingly tense muscles that knotted his neck, he appeared to be no more than just asleep. If not for the thin wound over his heart, Kyoko would've never believed that her only brother had passed away. She could almost see herself berating him for not taking care of his body enough, and for how much he worried her.<p>

But that was something that Kyoko couldn't do now.

The group surrounding Kyoko, consisting of the Varia, CEDEF, Kokuyo gang as well as Tsuna's guardians all chose to detach themselves from the quiet girl, choosing not to interrupt her moment of mourning. Perhaps there was a certain purity about her reactions that prompted a twinge of guilt in even the most twisted of the group.

Bending down, Mukuro picked up the discarded bellflower from the grass. Leaning his lithe frame forward, he gave the violet flora a sniff and gave a conclusive sigh.

"It appears that Kikyo's flower contains a fatal poison. There is no hope left."

With that, he strolled his way out of the clearing, taking his rowdy entourage with him.

Mukuro's judgement confirmed what she had already feared but could not admit. Holding back no longer, translucent orbs gathered at the edge of her eyes. Shaking her head, the orbs broke their shape and streamed down Kyoko's pale face. Suddenly, her legs seemed to have lost all strength; unable to support her body any further, she could only kneel down in front of her brother's body. Weeping silently, she remained in this position until she felt a warm hand on her shoulders.

Reassuring her with the pressure from his hands, Tsuna barely croaked out the words he knew he should say.

"I'm so sorry."

* * *

><p><strong>Café in Namimori—The Present<strong>

"Ciaossu."

"Ah, Reborn-kun. I can't believe you're here already!"

Ignoring the many odd looks that the other customers gave her, Kyoko took her seat across from her host. Considering the fact that she was having lunch with a baby dressed in a black suit and matching fedora, the attention really can't be considered a surprise. Even her own choice of clothing, consisting of a red jacket over a flower-patterned dress, seemed mildly out of place in this high-end restaurant. With that being said, Kyoko really was surprised when Reborn suggested Café Vongole of all places to meet. It wasn't everyday that she could be treated to a meal in a restaurant with such a delightful ambiance. However, even she knew that the baby would not invite her to such a place for no reason. His last words had been especially troubling.

_"Make sure no one knows that you're here."_

Despite the rather ominous warning, Kyoko trusted Reborn 100% and so, arrived on time and ready to eat to her stomach's content. The baby's generosity must be fully taken advantaged of; after all, who know's when this opportunity might come again? Brushing back her hip-length hair, Kyoko bobbed her head to the melody of the music, waiting for Reborn to make a move.

"So what would you like Kyoko? I've heard that the Ciceri e Tria dish here is quite satisfying. Or maybe a few slices of some pepperoni pizza?"

Handing Kyoko the intricately designed menu, Reborn smirked slightly at her obvious confusion. Who could blame her? After all, this is the first time she's ever had any authentic Italian cuisine, and if the prices are anything to judge by, it certainly will be her last.

After a few seconds of the menu, Kyoko relented. Giving Reborn an embarrassed smile, she said,

"I'll let you decide that, Reborn-kun. Besides, this can't be what you called me here for."

"_She's catching on fast."_

Nodding his head in approval, Reborn called out for a waiter. Within a few seconds, one came. If the waiter was surprised to be addressed by an infant, he didn't show it at all. Bending down, he listened to Reborn as he murmured the list of dishes he wants prepared. Giving a nod at the end, the waiter bowed once and left.

"Reborn-kun, you seem to really know your way with these restaurants and dishes."

It was true. As a veteran hitman in service to the Vongola, Reborn frequents these restaurants, if only to befriend his targets before assassinating them. As if Kyoko noted something not even worth mentioning, Reborn gave a curt nod before going on.

"I want you to become Tsuna's new guardian of the sun."

Eye's widening in surprise, Kyoko was rooted to her seat at the seemingly random outburst. Eyeing Reborn critically, Kyoko gave a pleasant laugh that attracted plenty of attention from the other tables. "Hahahaha. Reborn-kun, you really are good at making me laugh. How did you know that I love telling jokes before eating?"

In the flash of an eye and without any warning, Reborn pointed his pet-turned-gun towards Kyoko. The gun had the dull look of plastic, and so drew no suspicion from the other tables. Tipping his fedora so that it casted a shadow over his face, Reborn's tone became awfully cold.

"I never joke about things concerning the Vongola."

Knowing from the start that Reborn was completely serious, Kyoko didn't even flinch when she saw the gun pointed at her, Reborn's little fingers on the trigger. Straightening her back, she responded with a surprisingly cheerful tone, "Reborn-kun, stop this. You know I don't want the position, especially after…" At this, Kyoko's smile faltered a bit.

Lowering his gun, Reborn shifted his seat so that he viewed her from the corner of his eyes and responded back in his usual tone, "I didn't choose you because of Ryohei. I chose you because I've seen your resolve and believe that you have a suitable personality. That is all."

Flinching slightly at the mention of her late brother, Kyoko's face held a small, strained smile when she responded.

"I may know a bit about the mafia, the Vongola, and the Tri-Ni-Set, but I'm not strong like Gokudera-kun or Yamamoto-kun. I mean, I want to protect Tsu-kun, I really do. But I know that I would just be a burden to them and you know it too, Reborn-kun. So why do you still keep this up?"

Hearing Kyoko say this with a perfectly straight face, Reborn couldn't help but smirk at her complete inexperience.

"You call those idiot students strong? You have the potential to be just as strong, if not stronger than every other guardian."

After an impatient pause, Reborn went on.

"Stop saying these pointless things Kyoko. The real reason why you don't want to accept Ryohei's former position is because that would mean that he failed his duty. You don't want to hurt the pride of someone close to you, even if they've already passed away. But have you considered this, Kyoko? As the Sun Guardian, you'll be able to protect those that matter to Ryohei, and is that not what matters the most?"

Taking note of Kyoko's conflicted emotions, Reborn continued in a quieter voice, "That day…he saved you from falling into despair. He became the shoulder for you to lean on. Think of what he means to Ryohei, and what he means to you. Think of what acceptance means, Sasagawa Kyoko."

The expression on Kyoko's doubtful face illustrated her own inner struggle, but Reborn had clearly struck a sensitive topic. Silently congratulating himself, he took a relaxed sip of his espresso and allowed his words to sink in.

Gripping the cloth of her dress tightly, Kyoko turned to smile once more at the nonchalant baby. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but the sudden ringing of her cell phone interrupted her.

Winking her eyes at Reborn in a "May I?" gesture, Kyoko pulled her phone from her handbag and responded.

"Hello, who is it?...What did you say Hana? I don't believe it! A 70% sale on handbags? I'll be right there. Make sure to reserve me a few!"

Making an apologetic gesture to Reborn, Kyoko rushed out of her seat…

But froze when she saw Reborn pointing his gun at her once more. A strange smile coloured his face as he spoke his next words.

"You haven't paid for the meal yet."

* * *

><p>AN: First chapter done ^_^

If you enjoyed this chapter, please review, PM, comment etc. so that I know what my readers think of the plot/writing style. If there are enough reviews, I might just keep this series going for a long time yet!


	2. Kora!

**Sasagawa Household—Present **

"Hey, wake up already; it's time to start our training, kora!"

A continuous loud nagging dragged Kyoko's tired mind from her dreams. Giving a frustrated moan, she dragged her pillow and used it to cover her ears, determined to get some more sleep. It worked to an extent…unfortunately for Kyoko, this forced the baby with the blue pacifier to take more drastic measures.

"I guess it can't be helped…go Falco, kora!"

At his command, the white hawk perched behind him lifted off and landed on Kyoko's bed. Aiming carefully, the bird proceeded to peck at her vulnerable points, effectively ending any hope for Kyoko's long awaited rest.

"Good morning, Colonello-kun. Good morning, Falco-san." Between yawns, Kyoko eyed the intruders. Both the infant and the hawk seemed to be in good spirits and highly energetic; surprising, considering that the sun has yet to rise.

Compared to the two, Kyoko was in a much worse shape. Bleary-eyed from lack of sleep, her usually tidy hair was completely frizzled up as a result of trying to escape Falco's wrath. In fact, even her pyjamas had several holes, all courtesy of Falco. Stifling another yawn, Kyoko asked uncomfortably, "Can you fill me in on why you're here though?"

Colonello responded in a bored tone, saying, "Take a look at this, kora!" With that, he opened his mini-backpack, retrieved a sealed envelope and passed it on to Kyoko.

Her curiosity getting the better of her, Kyoko opened the brown-skinned envelope and dumped its contents on her bed. Out fell two rings and a rolled up letter.

It didn't take long for her to figure out what the two rings were for. The topaz-studded ring was undoubtedly the Vongola Ring of the Sun, one of the facets of the fabled Tri-Ni-Set. The other, while less conspicuous, housed the spirit of Ryohei's box weapon, Kangaryuu. The fact that Colonello delivered both rings to her can mean only one thing—he was sent here by Reborn.

Unrolling the letter, Kyoko found that it had been stamped by an especially strong Sun-class flame, Reborn's flames.

_Sasagawa Kyoko,_

_As per our original agreement, you are officially now the Vongola Sun Guardian. However, keep this identity a secret for now. We can't have you becoming an assassination target before you're fully trained, can we? Since I'm occupied with No-Good Tsuna, I'll leave the matter of your training to Colonello. Do not disappoint me. _

_ Ciao Ciao,_

_ Reborn_

Finishing the letter, Kyoko sighed heavily at what she agreed to. Then, noticing that Colonello was waiting on her reaction, she turned and gave him a smile of approval. After all, she was pretty familiar with Colonello from back when he served as Ryohei's tutor. Reborn's choice really shouldn't come as much of a surprise to Kyoko.

"Good, so you understand the situation. Based on what Reborn said, I was afraid that I would've had to beat some sense into you before you agreed, kora! Anyways, since today is a Sunday, I'll be expecting you at the outskirt's of Namimori Forest in 30 minutes. Training will start then. Do not be late, kora!"

Turning as if about to leave, Colonello paused before confronting the tired girl behind him again. "If you have something you want to say, then spit it out. I don't have time for hesitating students, kora!"

Seeing that her behaviour annoyed Colonello, Kyoko raised a tentative hand, almost as if she was requesting permission to speak, before continuing.

"Well you see Colonello-kun, I had agreed to go shopping with Hana yesterday, but Reborn-kun held me up. I told her that I would make it up to her today…so I guess what I'm trying to say is, can we put off the training until after I come back, Colonello-kun?"

Drenching the baby's name with her honey-sweet voice, Kyoko put up as cute a face as she could muster, considering her sorry condition.

As if he never heard her at all, Colonello turned to walk away again, leaving her with the words, "Namimori Forest, 30 minutes, kora." As he neared the door, Colonello's voice rang out once again.

"I didn't think that I would have to say this but you don't seem to get it. Being a guardian for the Vongola family is very serious business. The fact that I chose to personally train you should tell you how important it actually is. Never forget that, kora."

* * *

><p><strong>Forest Near Namimori—Present<strong>

Huffing and puffing, Kyoko looked around the clearing for signs of the blonde baby and his hawk, all the while trying to recover a bit of her ebbing strength. Since she spent the majority of her savings on "treating" Reborn to a meal yesterday, she couldn't help but bus to her training location. It also didn't help that the closest bus stop to Colonello's proposed secluded training area was almost half a kilometre away. By the time she arrived at the stop, time was running out, leaving her with no choice but to run the remaining distance.

Hence her current state.

Suddenly, Kyoko heard the flap of a bird's wing. Looking up, she saw a tiny dot in the sky. Faint at first, the dot gradually gained shape, revealing Colonello and Falco. Nearing the ground, Falco loosened its claws and dropped its luggage. Executing a mid-air somersault before landing on the grass, Colonello scowled at the sorry sight in front of him.

"You're two minutes and twenty-three seconds late. I'll let you off easy since this is your first time, but don't expect the same treatment for repeated offences, kora. Hey, stop huffing and wheezing now! I've been observing you the entire time, and you haven't even been running for 10 minutes. Show some spunk, kora!"

Lowering her head at Colonello's words, Kyoko tried to put up a weak protest as she said, "Bu...but Colonello-kun, I've been sprinting this whole time! You really can't expect me to keep up my top speed for 10 minutes without any rests in between."

Shaking his head, the infant replied, "I won't accept any excuses, kora! Since it's obvious you need it, from now on, I want you to place a heavy emphasis on developing your basic physical capabilities. That means laps around your school field, push-ups, crunches and whatever else you can think of. You have potential, so it shouldn't take you too much time to reach an acceptable level, kora!"

Ignoring Kyoko's surprised gasps and weak sighs, Colonello went on.

"But what I'm here for today is to train your abilities to fight in the mafia world, and that means, the world of rings and dying-will flames. Bring out your Vongola Ring. Training begins now, kora!"

Following his instructions, Kyoko positioned Reborn's gift onto her middle finger. The topaz-studded jewel played with the light, casting a dim aura around it. Captivated, Kyoko stared at the fascinating ring…

And was promptly pecked on the head by a certain hawk.

"Pay attention! We don't have much time to train you into tip-top shape, and we're getting no where if you're going gaga over the shininess of your ring all day, kora!" Colonello gave a sigh of exasperation before resuming his instruction.

"I want you to concentrate your entire resolve into your ring, and imagine it taking the shape of a flame, kora. This part may be a bit difficult, so I'm not expecting…"

"Colonello-kun, you mean like this?"

"Don't interrupt, kora! As I was saying, you must keep trying…oh…you already manifested your dying will flame…"

Gapping in wide-eyed wonder, the arcobaleno could only stare at the brilliant flame that lit up Kyoko's ring and finger. Who can blame him? Even for those who are experienced in life-or-death struggles, the dying will flame can only be manifested after a few days of training. For a total amateur like Kyoko to light flames on her first try...now that's mind-blowing.

Well, maybe it shouldn't have been. After all, there certainly had to be a reason for Reborn to pick someone as inexperienced as Kyoko to be the Vongola Sun Guardian.

Scrutinizing her flames, Colonello noted its yellowish color and the small sparkles it emits—there was no doubt about it, Kyoko's flames are definitely first-rate. After a few seconds however, he found that the flames actually contained a slight tints of orange. His curiosity piqued, Colonello reached out with his tiny hands to touch the flames.

"Just like I thought, kora. You have a weak flame Kyoko." Contrary to his words, Colonello's expression did not look the least bit disappointed. Actually, he seems to be excited…?

Confused, Kyoko asked, "Umm…Colonello-kun, isn't that supposed to be a bad thing?"

"While your flame might not have much destructive potential, its uniqueness is absolutely unparalleled. No wonder Reborn picked you as the Sun guardian."

Clearing his face of all emotions, Colonello returned his hand back to its original position. As if his adrenaline rush passed already, his voice gained a remorseful tone as he said, "Too bad we don't have time to uncover the hidden potential of your flame. At the moment, we must focus on raising your combat abilities. Put on the other ring, the one with the box animal, kora."

Still completely confused, Kyoko numbly placed the second ring on her finger. Drawing on the energy within herself, she promptly injected large doses of her flames into the ring. Flaring to life immediately, a bulb of light formed on the ring; detaching itself, the bulb quickly gained the shape of a kangaroo with boxing gloves and missile launchers. With a thud, the kangaroo landed on the ground—the golden light dissipating from its body, revealing its true form.

Since Kangaryuu used to be Ryohei's box weapon, its appearance did not startle Kyoko at all. With a smile, she reached up to pet its muzzle, earning her grunts of gratitude.

"Alright, step back Kyoko, kora!" Seeing that Kyoko succeeded in summoning Kangaryuu, Colonello immediately got to work. Without a second word, he leapt…and disappeared inside the kangaroo's pouch.

While Kangaryuu didn't seem to especially mind the intrusion, Kyoko gave a surprised yelp at her tutor's strange behaviour. Sounds of rummaging could be heard from within the pouch, as well as Colonello's annoyed but muffled voice.

"Boxing gloves, no too physical…throwing darts, no too stupid looking…basketballs, hmm no, not her style. How do you fit that much in this pouch anyways, kora?"

Giving a good-natured sigh, Kyoko took her seat on a fallen log in the clearing. From her experiences with the Rain Arcobaleno, finding her a proper weapon will take a long time yet. No reason not to get comfortable in the meantime, right?

* * *

><p>AN: Second chapter up (at record speed, I might add xD)!

I really appreciated everyone who supported me with their reviews for the previous chapter, so kudos to them! And yes, I do agree that Reborn is evil...grr him.

Also, I'm still considering various weapon choices for Kyoko. I have a slight predisposition to one at the moment, but I would really like to hear what my readers think too. You can share your opinion through reviews or PM's and I'll be sure to give every suggestion a serious consideration ^_^

Finally, I would just like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for reading the story and supporting me thus far. You guys are really my motivation to keep writing, so I really want to hear about what you think of the story thus far.

Hmm..I think I've blabbed on for too long. Guess I'll stop now...

Until next time~


	3. Confessions

**Namimori Middle Classroom 2C—Lunchtime**

Arms splayed out on the desk and face flat on the hard surface, Sasagawa Kyoko was the picture of tiredness, and who could blame her? Colonello had worked her from dawn till dusk yesterday, stopping only for meals and bathroom breaks. True, Kyoko had somewhat mastered her new weapon style, but the extreme physical activity still took a toll on her body, and she was feeling the brunt of said toll now.

It really was too bad that Hana had to go away for the day for a school trip along with most of the class (including Gokudera-kun and Yamamoto-kun); Kyoko had actually looked forward to some respite from her new identity as the Vongola Sun Guardian.

"_Maybe I'll go visit Haru-chan…"_

Now that would be a great idea, if only she attended the same school. The fact that Midori Middle was a 15 minute walk from Namimori Middle usually wasn't much of a problem for Kyoko, but today, all she wanted to do was relax and rest. With that in mind, Kyoko opened her bento, ripped apart her instant chopsticks, and prepared to eat at her desk.

A loud "boom" interrupted Kyoko right as she was about to dig in. Looking down on the floor, she saw that Tsuna had tripped on a misplaced bag while trying to walk to her seat. Her tiredness forgotte, Kyoko gave a small giggle, and reached out her hand to lift him up.

Taking her hand reluctantly, Tsuna quickly pulled himself up and began dusting his pants. Why does he always have to act so uncool around Kyoko? What's worse, the entire class was now staring at him, adding to the awkward tension in the air. The old Tsuna would probably have given up, and returned to his seat in shame by now, but that was not the case. After experiencing the future together, Tsuna was a lot more self-confident and comfortable when he's around Kyoko…well, the validity of such a change might be questionable, but that's at least how he tries to act.

"Umm… Kyoko-chan, would you like to eat lunch with me? I mean, it's perfectly fine if you want to stay here, or something…I mean, it's not like I mind it or anything, so just…"

"You usually eat up on the rooftops right? Let's go there, Tsu-kun." Interrupting Tsuna's nervous blabbering with a kind tone; Kyoko gently latched her hands onto the hems of Tsuna's sleeve and gave a nudge towards the door. While she did consider Tsuna's behaviour endearing, she knew that it was also a source of embarrassment for her boss—hence her suggestion to get away from the class.

* * *

><p><strong>Rooftop of Namimori Middle School—Lunchtime<strong>

Leaning back against the fencing around the school rooftop, Kyoko was at peace as she felt the wind blow through her long hair. Moments like these were her favourite; it wasn't that she disliked the company of her friends—quite the opposite actually. Time spent relaxing and recharging was needed if she wanted to enjoy herself with her friends later on; it was as simple as that.

Of course, Tsuna was no where near as comfortable as Kyoko. Between sneaking peeks towards the girl and trying to keep up a cool façade, he really had no time to eat his mom's well-made lunch, and Kyoko noticed that.

Wrapping up her lunch container, Kyoko curiously asked, "You don't seem to have an appetite today. Is there something wrong, Tsu-kun?"

Almost as if she noted something extremely embarrassing, Tsuna made an "Ack-ack" sound as he almost choked on the tiny nibble of carrot that he was eating. Placing her hands on to his shoulders to steady him, Kyoko asked in a worried tone, "Are you ok Tsu-kun? Was it something I said?"

Thoroughly embarrassed, Tsuna just gave his typical goofy/awkward smile and reassured Kyoko that no, he was quite fine, and that she had nothing to do with his current predicament.

As Tsuna he considered the direction that this was going, Reborn's mocking voice once again sounded in his head.

"_You really are no-good Tsuna. You finally get a chance to talk to the girl you like, and this is how you're using it? Pathetic."_

Before he could consider just how _right _Reborn's opinion was, he felt the grip on his shoulder slacken a bit. Looking up, he noticed that Kyoko had slightly distanced herself from him, an uncharacteristically sad smile coloring her lips.

"I'm glad that we get to be alone for a bit today. I've waited for a time like this ever since we came back from the future. There are a lot of things that I wanted to say to you, but I just couldn't find the right time. I guess things just always go wrong whenever I get involved…"

Eyes widening in surprise at Kyoko's _extremely _sudden mood change, Tsuna was just about to reassure Kyoko again when she silenced him with the raise of a hand.

"It's always been like this though, right? Do you remember that time in the future, the time when Haru-chan and I went on strike? Perhaps I wasn't being absolutely truthful with myself even then. What I hated wasn't that we were kept in the dark. What I hated the most was how weak and useless I obviously was in that situation. At first, I tried to tell myself that even cooking and cleaning was a big help to you guys, that by doing that, you wouldn't have to shoulder everything by yourselves."

With a sigh, Kyoko sat down on the hard tiles, facing away from Tsuna. Fixated to his spot, Tsuna listened quietly as she continued.

"But when I saw you guys fight during the Choice games, I realized just how much you were shouldering the entire time. It definitely wasn't fair…was it? I had a lot of trouble getting over it, but eventually I realized that the best way to not be a burden to you…was by admitting that I was a burden. I realized that you would become stronger if I remained weak and out of your way…and that's how I stayed."

At this point, Kyoko's soft voice cracked slightly, as if reminding Tsuna how fragile she always had been. It was definitely a side to Kyoko's voice that Tsuna never wanted to hear.

"Until that day. Onii-san's…it really changed me, you know? For a split second after I felt his death…I actually hated you with all my heart, Tsu-kun. I was convinced that you were the reason he died. But as soon as that second passed, I realized how horrible and selfish those thoughts were. And after that, I grew angrier and angrier at myself and my own powerlessness. I don't show it others because people would say that it was unlike me and worry. But you know, if I kept going down that road….who knows what would've happened to me? That's how useless I felt."

Focusing so intently on Kyoko's image, Tsuna was startled when she turned to face him, a melancholic smile playing on the edges of her lips.

"But you made me realize how horribly selfish I was being again. I don't know if you realize this, but you really are amazing Tsu-kun. You bring out the best in every single one of us. I guess that's what makes you our boss, Tsu-kun."

Kyoko's last words snapped Tsuna from his previous mesmerized state. Surprised, Tsuna quickly asked, "Kyoko-chan, what do you mean by that? Just what's going…"

Before Tsuna could finish his sentence, Kyoko had already removed the Vongola Sun ring from her little pocket pouch. Admiring its shine once more, she easily slipped the ring onto her finger. Ignoring Tsuna's surprised face, she promptly lit the ring with her Sun Flames.

Even against the backdrop of the midday sky, the flames that shot forth from the ring shone with an incomparable brightness. The little sparkles that the flames seemed to emit added a cosmic feel to the flames as well.

"This is my resolve, Tsu-kun. This is what I'll use to protect you from here on out, as your Sun Guardian."

* * *

><p>AN: Well, after finishing this chapter, I realized how bad I am at writing fluffy scenes :( Any suggestions/tips are welcomed! You can sure these through reviews/PM's so get helping ^_^

Anyhow, the story will start to get more serious from the next chapter onwards, so stay tuned for that too!

Aaaaaand...that's about it. As always, I want to hear from readers about the story thus far (as well as my character development lately) so review, review, review!

Until next time~


	4. Instincts

**Rooftop of Namimori Middle School- Lunchtime**

Kyoko had never seen that expression on his face before. It was somewhere between acceptance, sadness, surprise, adoration, and anger. Mostly anger.

Without another word, Tsuna turned to leave, as if there was someone he had to track down and beat up (which there probably was), but was stopped by Kyoko's forceful hand. Before she could open her mouth to speak though, something caught her eye and immediately changed her mind. Retracting her hands, she spoke her next words in an awkward tone.

"Oh…Hibari-kun. What brings you here?"

Hearing Kyoko's words, Tsuna immediately turned to face the Head of the Namimori Disciplinary Committee. Tsuna smiled nervously; uncharacteristic, considering the fact that Hibari was _his _guardian and not the other way around.

"Umm…Hibari-san, we're not crowding here or anything, so we'll just be leaving now…"

Baring his tonfas out in the open, Hibari made a swift swipe towards Tsuna's direction. Leaping back gingerly, Tsuna shuddered at the obvious killing intent emanating from the black-haired prefect—he would've definitely broken a rib if he hadn't dodged.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi, I will bite you to death."

Even though Hibari was definitely the most bloodthirsty out of Tsuna's guardians, to think that he would attack Tsuna and Kyoko unprovoked…Tsuna's instincts told him that something was wrong. His trail of thought however, was interrupted when Hibari began to rush at him, seeking to get close enough to begin his onslaught of slashes, stabs and punts.

But the tonfa was stopped, right as it was about to connect a blow to Tsuna's midsection. Placing herself between Hibari and Tsuna, Kyoko had been able to pause the match by gripping the upper half of Hibari's tonfa and holding it off. Her hand locked itself tightly on the hard steel, refusing to allow it to move an inch from its current position.

"Hibari-kun, please stop this. There's no reason for you to fight Tsu-kun right now, so why are you still doing this?"

Contrary to the interrogative nature of her words, her tone was soft and gentle, almost as if she was comforting a young child.

It's too bad though, because this appeared to just add to Hibari's irritation. Not even bothering with his locked hand, Hibari twisted his body before lashing out with a vicious left hook.

Sensing Hibari's intent a moment before it happened, Kyoko released her hold on the tonfa and quickly attempted to side-stepped out of the way. Already expecting this however, Hibari reached in to elbow her with his now free hand. Based on her current direction of movement and momentum, there was no way that Kyoko could dodge the hit—the best she could do was to block it with her Vongola Ring.

Steel clashed against steel with a huge clang. Retracting his hands, Hibari gazed at his now half-melted tonfas. Lips curling in distaste, Hibari spoke with a venom-laced voice.

"You herbivores just love intruding on business that's not yours, don't you?"

The wind blowing against the werelight emanating from his forehead, Tsuna raised his gloved hands in a protective gesture as he cemented his position in front of Kyoko. He had a good sense of timing too; a few more seconds and Hibari's strike might've caused some pretty permanent damage to her amateur body.

"I can't be fooled by an illusionist that I've already seen through once before, Mammon."

The figure before Tsuna showed no sign of surprise at the conviction in Tsuna's uncharacteristically deep voice. Bit by bit, it became harder to focus on the contours of "Hibari's" body and features—almost like an old photo losing its touch.

Eventually, the mist surrounding the figure dissipated, revealing the lithe frame of Varia's Prince the Ripper.

"Ushishishi, your illusions aren't up to snuff as usual, Mammon."

The air behind the blonde rippled for a few seconds, finally taking the shape of a hooded baby with a violet pacifier. A yellow snake floated above his head, forming a perfect halo with its own tail in its mouth.

His mouth scrunched into an upside-down "v", the baby sighed heavily. Choosing to ignore his partner's words, Mammon sighed heavily at how complex this situation was turning out to be. Their orders had been clear: eliminate Vongola Tenth and leave no evidence behind.

Expecting it to be a slight challenge, Mammon had devised a plan that seemed fool-proof at the time. By disguising Bel as Hibari Kyoya, Tsuna would be more hesitant in their fight and be an easier kill. They could then frame Tsuna's Cloud Guardian as his murderer—killing two birds with one stone.

The assassination had gone wrong from the very beginning. Varia had pulled a few strings so that Tsuna's other guardians would be away that day, so it was pretty reasonable to assume that their target would be alone. The fact that Sasagawa Kyoko was with him made it that much harder to fabricate the rest of their "evidence".

And then there was the Vongola Hyper Intuition that allowed Tsuna to see through their deception; Xanxus will not be pleased.

On his side, Tsuna couldn't be more surprised to find out that his opponents were members of the Vongola Family's independent elite assassination squad. While Xanxus's dislike for him was obvious, Tsuna never imagined that they would have to fight against each other so soon, and for seemingly no reason. His instincts told him that something else was up.

He had to question their motives, but now was not the time or place. After all, the Varia was notorious for using every means necessary to complete their missions, and that included taking hostages. There was no way that Tsuna would let Kyoko get involved with all this Mafia business—especially not after her earlier revelations. In other words, he had to act fast.

Easier said than done, considering his opponents. Even though his Hyper Intuition had bailed him out earlier, Tsuna could still sense the illusionary space around the school. His own eyes could no longer be trusted—his battle against Torikabuto taught him that. To escape from a situation like this, he had only one alternative.

"Operation X."

Having received information from Yuni after the whole Byakuran affair, both Mammon and Bel knew what Tsuna was planning to do, but neither was worried. They had seen the technique enough to identify its major weakness: time. To put it simply, balancing the hard and soft flames in Tsuna's gloves takes time, and within that timeframe, Tsuna was vulnerable. Raising the knives in both of his hands, Bel prepared to finish the fight—in less than a second, a flick of his wrist will send Tsuna's head rolling.

Before either could react however, Tsuna's gloves shone with an overwhelming brilliance, temporarily blinding them. From within the halo of lights, Tsuna's voice rang out.

"X-Burner!"

Even as he expelled the sky flames from his gloves, Tsuna felt the recoil from the blast push him back, threatening to overwhelm the soft support flames from his other hand. That was the plan of course. Knowing that Bel and Mammon would see an opening during the initial phase of the X-Burner, he had skipped the balancing aspect of the attack to conserve time.

Of course, this had the unfortunate side-effect of sending him flying like tumbleweeds in the wind. However, he was not entirely without control; he had seen to that with his soft flames. As he involuntarily jetted backwards, Tsuna quickly manoeuvred himself and reached out with a gloved hand to latch onto Kyoko's wrist, essentially dragging her with him.

He didn't know or care about what happened to Bel and Mammon in the blast. All he wanted was to get her to safety.

* * *

><p><strong>Skies Above Namimori <strong>

As soon as he got the opportunity, Tsuna shifted Kyoko's position so that she was no longer dangling by her arm. Carrying her bridal style now, Tsuna glanced down at the scenery below him, looking for a suitable and inconspicuous place to land.

"Tsu-kun, I think that's a good place…"

Kyoko's voice was hoarse, almost as if she had her breathe taken away by Tsuna's earlier manoeuvre (which is basically what happened).

Tsuna followed Kyoko's finger to a back alley about 700 meters north of the school. It seemed to be abandoned, so he promptly flew over.

He scanned the area as he landed on the ground; there doesn't seem to be any sign of the Varia members in the area. That was the one good thing about being blasted away by his own X Burner—he covered a large stretch of distance very quickly.

Letting go of Kyoko's legs, Tsuna gently set her down onto the ground. Then, he asked in a concerned voice, "Kyoko-chan, are you alright?"

The orange-haired girl couldn't help but smile at his words. Seeing the confusion on Tsuna's face, Kyoko quickly stopped and answered his question.

"I'm fine Tsu-kun. And you?"

Sighing gratefully at her response, Tsuna turned his back to her, and prepared to fly off again. A firm hand stopped him though, and Kyoko once again spoke out.

"Are you going back?"

Nodding his head, Tsuna added, "I have to know why the Varia's attacking us all of a sudden. It's my responsibility to stop them before they start hurting the people I care about."

As if she was satisfied with his reply, Kyoko released her hold on Tsuna's wrists.

Watching as he disappeared into a dot in the sky, Kyoko sighed good-naturedly. Almost as if she there was someone she wanted to talk to, Kyoko began to speak in a quiet voice.

"You know, I used to think that Tsu-kun became a completely different person when he swallowed those pills. Not just me, Haru-chan thought so too. His voice gets so deep and his words become so cool...but I was so scared of that Tsu-kun. When he was like that, he…he seemed so alien, so unlike his usual hopeless self."

Turning her body so that she faced the inside of the back alley, Kyoko resumed talking while facing the garbage cans.

"But I was wrong. He still is that same warm Tsu-kun. I'm glad I realized that today, Reborn-kun."

Saying that, she crouched down so that she was at face-level with one of the cans. Sure enough, the can sprouted Reborn's trademark sideburns.

"Ciaossu Kyoko. I'm surprised that you caught me even when I'm wearing my 'Garbage Land' disguise. Keep this up, and I may just have to re-evaluate my opinion of you."

Mouth curved into a wide smirk, Reborn leapt out of his costume and stood proudly in front of Kyoko, dressed once again in his fedora and suit. His curiosity piqued, the baby immediately asked, "You're not going after him?"

Standing back up to her full height, Kyoko once again turned to gaze out at the all-encompassing sky. A slight smile adorned her face as she replied.

"I trust Tsu-kun."

Seemingly unsatisfied with her answer, Reborn immediately followed up with another question.

"Because he's your boss?"

"Because I understand him."

Neither spoke after this, the uncomfortable silence stretching out for what felt like hours. Eventually, Reborn tugged at Kyoko's sleeves and passed her a slip of paper.

"Take that to Tsuna's homeroom teacher. It's a note excusing him for the afternoon."

Surprised, Kyoko stared at the signature at the bottom of the sheet of paper.

_Sawada Nana._

So Reborn is also a great signature faker!

As she thought this however, a thought immediately hit Kyoko: Reborn obviously needed a hard surface to fake a signature so well. The ground and walls here all had grooves and dents—there was no way that Reborn signed this sheet on the spot.

This means that he already had the note prepared beforehand.

With that in mind, Kyoko asked suspiciously, "How did you know that Tsu-kun would need an excuse slip?"

_She's good. Is this the so-called 'woman's six sense'?_

His smirk even wider than it was before, Reborn's tone was even and passive.

"That's for you to find out."

* * *

><p>AN: Really, really, really sorry for not updating this over the past week and a half. I'm really busy irl and a lot of glitches had to be sorted out involving the site.

Sadly, I'll probably remain very busy, but you can expect an update every week =D

I would also like to thank Leona for her help in beta-ing this chapter of AEBS. Yay!

Finally, the story is beginning to get action-packed so stay tuned!

(Real) finally, review review review! It is not only a great way for me to learn about your idea's/critiques, it also really motivates me to keep writing this story. So if you enjoyed it, please take the time to help me serve up an even better chapter next time around!


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